View report page

75
Common Lodging-House, 116, Middlesex Street.—The above premises, which are known
as the "Salvation Army Working Men's Hotel and Shelter," and is the only common lodginghouse
in the City, was opened on the 7th February, 1906. It was utilised during the War as
a Soldiers' Hostel, but is now again in use as a common lodging-house. The premises are
periodically inspected, and always found to be well kept and in a generally satisfactory
condition.
Neglect to comply with Water-closet Bye-laws.—No instance of neglect in this respect has
occurred during the year under review.
Drainage Plans.—In the course of the year 223 plans were submitted with regard to
proposed reconstruction of water-closets or drains in the City.
Of these, 209 were approved; 5 revised and approved; and 9 not approved.
Street Gullies.—The gradual substitution of properly trapped gullies for those formerly
existing has greatly reduced the number of complaints received of offensive smells arising
from those appliances, especially in warm weather. In some cases this nuisance was doubtless
due to want of flushing, but in the majority faulty construction was the cause of the trouble.
The City Engineer has given special attention to this matter for several years past, and
his action in replacing the old pattern gullies with those of a more up-to-date design will,
I hope, eventually lead to a complete abatement of the evil.
Overcrowding.—Overcrowding is a nuisance to be dealt with summarily under Section 2,
Sub-section 1 (e) of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, and during the year one case was
reported by your officers. On the service of the statutory notice of abatement the overcrowding
was discontinued.
Sanitary Defects and Infectious Disease.—In every case of notification of infectious
disease, the premises involved were inspected with regard to the drainage system, water
supply, ventilation, &c.; and of the 132 cases so investigated in 1925, it was found necessary
to make amendments to soil and waste pipes, water-closets, &c., in 40 instances.
House, Trade and other Refuse Removal.—The City Engineer informs me that the refuse
removed from the City in 1925 consisted of 21,945 cartloads of street sweepings and slops,
and 44,882 loads of house and trade refuse, a total of 66,827 loads. The total for the year
1924 was 65,372. The use of the Destructor was discontinued in September, 1905, since
which date all refuse has been removed by barge from Lett's Wharf to the Corporation land
on Hornchurch Marshes, where it is dealt with. The horse manure collected from the street
orderly bins is not included in the above, but is dealt with by a contractor, who sells it to
market gardeners and others.
Legal Proceedings.—During the year, 322 notices have been served by the District
Inspectors at the order of the Sanitary Committee, and in no case was it found necessary,
in consequence of non-compliance therewith, to refer the matter to the City Solicitor.
Summer Flushing of Courts.—There are 161 courts and narrow passages throughout the
City which were regularly flushed during the summer months, under the direction of the City
Engineer, who informs me that in this service, and the flushing of the main streets, no less
than 22,054,625 gallons of water were used. Of these courts and alleys, seven were flushed
four times a week, six three times a week, three twice a week, 21 once a week, five once a
month, and 119 every two months.
Disinfectants are also freely applied where desirable.
The condition of the approaches to Billingsgate Market and the Customs House, as
heretofore, required special attention. There has always been a difficulty in keeping the
thoroughfares in the immediate vicinity of these places free from nuisance caused by the
drippings from the fish carts, especially during hot weather.
Limewashing of Courts.—-There are 60 courts and narrow passages situated in various
parts of the City, the walls of which, unless cleansed frequently, become dirty and unsightly
through the constant traffic of passengers or vehicles, together with the action of the smokeladen
atmosphere. These are cleansed or limewashed twice a year under the direction of the
City Engineer. Of the places so dealt with during 1925, 19 were situated in the East District,
24 in the Middle District, and 17 in the West District.
Defective Connections to Sewer.—During the year, 36 reports were received from the City
Engineer respecting the condition of connections between the drains of certain City houses
and the public sewer.
Investigations showed that it was necessary to reconstruct all of the connections referred
to. Of these, 32 have been completed and the remainder are, at the time of writing this
Report, in process of reconstruction. As a result of the inspection of the internal drainage
system of these premises, reconstruction or alteration was found necessary in 31 instances.